The present invention generally relates to a grinding apparatus and, more particularly, to a motorized stump grinding apparatus.
It is often desirable to remove the stump from the ground or to cut or grind the stump to a height that is at least flush or below the surrounding ground surface in order to remove the stump as a potential obstacle to lawn mowers or other similar equipment.
Stump grinding or cutting equipment is used to eliminate a protruding stump of a tree or large bush which has been cut down or fallen over.
Hard operated stump grinding or cutting devices typically include a frame and a plurality of cutting or grinding blades which are mounted to a wheel or a drum which is rotatably mounted to the frame and driven by a motor or the like. As the drum or wheel is rotated, the blades cut into the stump of the tree and gradually grind or cut away the surface of the tree stump until the surface of the tree stump is reduced or lowered to the desired height, preferably below the surface of the ground. Typically, the drum or wheel is rotated to make a first cutting path through the tree trunk, after which the wheel or drum must be raised and then lowered again to make a second cutting path adjacent the first path. This process is repeated until the entire stump is ground down. Therefore, this process can be slow and cumbersome. For large stumps, cutting or grinding wheels or drums have been connected to booms of large caterpillar type tractors and have been powered by powerful hydraulic systems of the large tractors. Like the hand operated units, these units feature cutting and grinding wheels with a plurality of cutting blades, with the wheel or drum typically hydraulically or mechanically operated and powered by internal combustion engines. The large and smaller, hand operated devices each have their own drawbacks. While the hand operated units are more flexible and can be used in more confined spaces than the tractor mounted grinding assemblies, they are hard to control and require greater endurance by the operator. The tractor mounted grinding assemblies can accommodate very large drums which are often as wide as the stump; consequently, they can be very quick. However, the tractor mounted grinding assemblies are bulky and often very costly.
Consequently, there is a need for a stump grinding or cutting apparatus which provides a more efficient cutting and grinding action and which is more compact and easier to use for large and small jobs alike.